I decided it was time to take up the challenge, to sacrifice myself for the vegetarians of Oxford and to embark on a journey to track down the best veggie burger in Oxford. I picked 5 restaurants and went for a points scoring system, looking at the quality of the veggie burger patty, the burger buns used, the quality and variety of toppings, the price and the venue. Each … [Read more...]

On a day off work during the Olympics I managed to peel myself off the sofa long enough to make it to the Cowley Road in Oxford to visit Atomic Burger. Inspired by the amazing feats of skill and athleticism it only seemed right to stuff my face with burgers, fries and ridiculously good milkshakes before returning home to slip into a burger coma.
Atomic Burger isn't just … [Read more...]

I have been aware of Jamie's Pizzeria Oxford for quite some time now but had never visited. One reason being that I didn't really understand if it was part of Jamie's Italian, a separate thing or how you even got to it. Now that I have been it all makes sense.... Jamie's Italian is all of the upstairs and most of the downstairs while Jamie's Pizzeria Oxford is one part of the … [Read more...]

I reviewed Joe’s Bar and Grill back in March while there for Brunch, but this time I had my sights set on only one thing, the much talked about Veggie Burger that I was keen to try and compare with the competition in Oxford.
After spending a long day in London and being ravenously hungry I was gutted to see a band setting up in the front of Joe’s Bar and Grill when I first … [Read more...]

I am all for independent shops, cafes and restaurants in our towns and cities, they give a place character and set it apart from everywhere else. But there is also a place for the chains, and while some are awful (I'm looking at you MacWrongalds) there are some very good ones, Byron Hamburgers being a perfect example.
Finding myself in the city centre on a much welcomed day … [Read more...]

Nestled in the heart of Jericho is the unassuming but ever consistent stalwart, The Jericho Cafe. This is one of those establishments that rarely springs to mind when I am asked 'where is good to go in Oxford' which is a shame as it is bloody good at what it does and is somewhere I keep going back to as I just know it will deliver.
Split across two levels, with oodles … [Read more...]

In every city you have hidden gems, those places that are off the beaten track and only really known to the locals. In fact I suspect that if you asked most Oxfordians about The Gardeners Arms they would say "oh yeah, rings a bell... I've heard good things. Somewhere in Jericho isn't it?". It is in Jericho, to be precise it is on the corner of Plantation Road, between … [Read more...]

If you haven't heard of Barefoot Oxford before, then chances are you've eaten one of their cakes without realising it, as they supply cakes to many of the cafes around Oxford such as Quarter Horse Coffee, Oxford Wine Cafe, The Chester, Joe Perks & Co, Branca and Turl Street Kitchen to name but a few! They're also regulars at the North Parade Market and have appeared at … [Read more...]

Normally I skip past the announcements on social media that it is #nationalferretday or something equally tedious, but #nationalburgerday did grab my interest and fill my Instagram feed with pictures of people making the effort to get a burger in their day. Not wanting to be outdone I decided to head to Gourmet Burger Kitchen Oxford to join in with the fun and get my burger … [Read more...]

Brew Oxford has featured in the Definitive Oxford Coffee Guide for some time now but I felt it was about time it was given the attention, and a full review that it deserves.
The cafe is located along North Parade Avenue, nestled amongst the leafy streets of North Oxford and just a short walk from the bustle of the city centre. There is a South Parade as well, but it is north … [Read more...]

Oxford is great at many things, coffee shops being one of them. As well as all the high street regulars you would expect to find there are also a whole host of fantastic independent coffee shops spread across the length and breadth of the city. One of the finest examples is without a doubt Combibos Coffee, a family run coffee shop situated on Gloucester Green in the city … [Read more...]

A busy Saturday morning in Summertown and the streets are bustling with folk going about their business but there is sanctuary to be found behind the doors of Joe's Bar and Grill. In need of brunch I headed in....
I am instantly greeted by a waitress stationed at the door who leads me over to a table and informs me someone will be over to take my order soon. There is none … [Read more...]

An extremely cold evening in Oxford after a day in London and a lot of dashing around meant that the view through the window of The Adventurer Oxford was a welcoming sight indeed... a warm glow, a buzz of activity and the promise of somewhere to escape the cold.
Okay, the idyllic picture I have just set was ruined slightly by the fact the second I stepped through the … [Read more...]

Oxford is a relatively small city, yet it manages to continually punch above its weight in so many ways. Oxford’s standing as a seat of learning is universally known and the city is well recognised for its healthy music scene, but not many know about the strong coffee scene that exists. This is starting to change though, with the city having been recently featured amongst the … [Read more...]